Volunteers needed for community policing initiative

BATON ROUGE- Volunteers are being sought to act as liaisons between members of the community and law enforcement in an effort to build trust between the two. The Community Police Ambassador Program was created by a citizen council and led by metro councilmembers Tara Wicker and Trae Welch.

"This is an opportunity for the community and the police department to come together in ways they haven't previously had the opportunity," said Wicker. "It gives them an opportunity to talk to one another, be really transparent and come together to solve those issues that we're dealing with."

Volunteer ambassadors will help citizens rectify grievances they have with law enforcement while helping citizens understand the criminal justice process. The initiative is a response to the 2016 police shooting of Alton Sterling that resulted in major protests.

Wicker said about forty people have already applied to volunteer in the program. The next recruitment meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, October 30th at the Eden Park Library on Greenwell Springs Road.